Lewis Hamilton Recounts School Exclusion and Racist Barriers to Success
Sir Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time Formula 1 world champion, has revealed he was excluded from school and told his Black heritage would prevent him from achieving success. Now 41, Hamilton is using his platform to champion education and career opportunities for young people through his Mission 44 foundation.
From Racism on the Track to Advocacy in Education
Hamilton, who is entering his second season with Ferrari, burst onto the F1 scene in 2007 as the sport's first Black driver. Despite his phenomenal success, including 105 grand prix wins, he says his proudest achievement is founding Mission 44 in 2021, investing £20 million of his own money. "I know not every young person has the same opportunities as I have, so despite the championships and the wins and success, setting up Mission 44 has been my proudest achievement so far," Hamilton stated. "We have the chance to build a better future for young people, one that promotes inclusion and breaks down barriers."
Reflecting on his childhood, Hamilton shared: "At school I experienced exclusion, I was told and made to feel that I would never become anything, that my dreams were off limits. There were so many voices telling me I wouldn’t succeed because of my colour and where I came from." He credits his parents' belief and his father's hard work—holding four jobs to fund weekend karting—for his eventual breakthrough.
Mission 44's Impact on Young People and STEM Careers
Mission 44, named after the number on Hamilton's first go-kart, focuses on supporting disadvantaged youth in accessing science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM) careers. The foundation was launched following the Hamilton Commission, a study that found just 1% of F1 workers come from Black backgrounds. Jason Arthur, CEO of Mission 44, explained: "Talent is everywhere but opportunity isn’t. That’s why Mission 44 exists. The report exposed that young people from disadvantaged backgrounds faced many more challenges in school and in getting onto the career ladder in industries requiring STEM skills."
Since its inception, Mission 44 has reached 550,000 young people globally, including in the US and Brazil, and awarded £8 million to charities and programmes. It supports 43 organisations, such as CAPE Mentors, which provides tuition and mentoring to children affected by poverty and poor mental health. Hussein Hussein, CEO of CAPE Mentors, noted: "Our partnership with Mission 44 has allowed us to reach far more children and also to showcase what mentoring is, and what the impact can be."
Advocacy and Government Engagement for Inclusive Education
Hamilton and Mission 44 have actively engaged with policymakers to push for a more inclusive education system. Last summer, they met with Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson at 10 Downing Street to discuss practical commitments. The government's recent Schools White Paper, which emphasises tackling disadvantage, has been welcomed by Hamilton, though he stresses: "I’m pleased to see the government’s commitments to build a more inclusive education system reinforced in this publication. The real test is what happens next. What changes in classrooms. What young people actually feel when they walk through the school gates."
Arthur, a former teacher, added: "I’ve seen how powerful it is when a child feels they belong in school, and how damaging it is when they don’t. Lewis experienced that first-hand when he was wrongly excluded at 15. We were pleased to see key elements of what we’d asked for reflected in the Government’s Schools White Paper, but there is still more to do."
Expanding Access and Future Initiatives
Mission 44 continues to expand its reach, with initiatives like a Motorsport Scholarship programme that covers tuition and living costs for students from under-represented backgrounds pursuing a Masters in motorsport engineering. This season, the foundation is collaborating with Formula 1, Pirelli, and Ferrari to offer behind-the-scenes access to the sport, helping young people see engineering and mechanics careers as attainable. Arthur said: "This season we’re working with Formula 1, Pirelli and Ferrari to give young people behind-the-scenes access to the sport, meeting engineers and mechanics, seeing how teams operate, and understanding that these careers are within reach. The talent is already there. Our job is to make sure the doors are open."
Hamilton remains closely involved, hosting Q&As at races and meeting with partners. As he gears up for the new F1 season, starting with the Australian Grand Prix, his drive extends beyond the track. "At Mission 44, we’re going to keep driving change and working to build a fairer future for young people," he affirmed.
